The Boatman
by Sirenic Griffin
Summary: For years he ferried the men to their deaths, to the Griffin, his fate after being Greedy but people don’t come. They no longer believe the stories and he continues to be cursed. Cursed to stand there


**Summary: **For years he ferried the men to their deaths, to the Griffin, his fate after being Greedy but people don't come. They no longer believe the stories and he continues to be cursed.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters in which I have taken the cursed boatman, the griffin and his wife as well as Death. These characters belong to the folk legends in which the writers recorded them. I do however own how they act and the storyline. This is my story. Adapted Yes.

_**- 'The Boatman.' -  
by: Sirenic Griffin**_

_**Oneshot – at the moment…**_

Death was coming. He felt it on the wind... and he welcomed it.

He'd been there too long, tied down by the world's material possesions.

All he wanted to do was die.

Long ago he'd left his crown in the ashes.

Long ago had he gotten tired of ferrying people across the river but was never allowed to stop.

Long ago was he foolish enough to stand in the way of true love and his curse was to ferry people to their deaths.

He was wiser now.

As the cloaked figure approached the boat he looked up. The person wore a black hooded robe, a scythe held in his left hand, the other left dangling. It clicked it's teeth in annoyance.

"Your time should've been up long ago." It whispered and the ancient king didn't move.

"Why are you still here?" The king raised an eyebrow and Death sighed.

"Ah, the river... how clumsy of me..." Death looked across the river and raised bone fingers to his lips. Blowing softly an ancient bird flew out of the castle, a old maid clutching onto it's golden feathers for her life.

"Hello Griffin." Death said and the griffin extended itself, allowing the maid to touch the ground. Instantly a change overtook her. Her white hair changed to grey, then to a muddy brown and finally to a brilliant gold, her skin unwrinkled and her eyes turned from a blind blue to a startling brown. She grew in stature and stood straighter and the molting griffin looked on with pride as the old maid transformed into a woman of twenty.

"Hello Charon." She said sweetly to the king as the years gave her back of her voice, the kings eyes widened and he attempted to bow in the boat, holding his oar.

"Goddess..." He mumbled and she laughed.

"No, I'm afraid not, just a silly old nymph who decided to annoy Mary, Queen of Hearts." He blinked waiting for elaboration but the Griffin had already shushed her.

"Oh? Why Grif? It's so boring, she's so annoying with her curses. 'Only when you stand on the land of life may you have your true form.' Bah! And then she has the nerve to banish you, my 'lover' to live forever on the land of death." Charon blinked. The divinities were respectful forms but the ones he saw infront of him contradicted that entirely, he looked to the only one able to explain things to him; Death, the answer to all life's problems. Death sat down and looked at him.

"I'm not the answer to everything boy, these two have been stuck together for more than four millenia, whether before the curse or after it. Believe me when I saw Death isn't the answer to all of life's problems." Charon blinked.

"You read my mind." Death laughed.

"So?"

"Isn't that personal?"

"I dunno. You tell me!" Death said shrugging.

"I think it is." Death sighed and reached a skeletenal hand to unhood him... herself.

"Look, you have to realise something when you die, nothing is personal. Now," She standing up, white hair braided tightly, her blue eyes glancing and chalk white skin almost grey.

"Grif, your here for a reason. Times have moved on, nobody comes to the river any more unless it's a ghost who think it's the river of death and realises it's not after ferrying over."

"Nobody listens to tales anymore." The Nymph whispered and Death nodded in agreement.

"So, I've decided that Charon really is sick of his job and it's time to take him with me. And the solution is a sign pointing to real river of death as well as leaving a immortal boat here for anyone who truely wants to see you two." The Nymph nodded and the Griffin sighed.

"Less unwelcome visitors stealing your feathers." Death said patting the poor creature on the back and the Griffin perked up instantly.

"A Griffin isn't a griffin without any Golden feathers." He said happily and the Nymph growled looking at Death.  
"Now, you've gotten him started, it's going to take weeks to be able to talk to him civilly." Death shrugged, a smile placed sickenly all over her face.

"It's your funeral, not mine. If you ever need one you know who to call." The Nymph nodded and Death jumped to her feet, pulling the hood over her eyes, readjusting her Scythe.

"Are you ready Charon." The Boatman nodded and Death muttered.

_I break thee fate who has bound thy soul for I will sever the thread. _

And she raised her ceremonial scythe and brought it down over Charon, who prompty disappeared. She sighed.

"I've got to go now, see that he settles in for the right afterlife. You two behave. I don't want to come back here for a while." She said and the the Nymph and the Griffin looked at each other mischievously as Death, as mysteriously as she had come, left.

The Nymph looked sideways at the Griffin.

The Griffin looked sideways at the Nymph.

"Madame, you look wonderful as always." He said bowing, as Griffins could.

"Sir, I thank you for the compliment but I suggest we use this time wisely." The Griffin nodded and lay down, she pulled herself on top and hours later _giggles _could be heard from the area.

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**Sirenic Griffin**


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